Retarder valve and brake system



R.1 GoLD ETAL 3,118,706'

RETARDER 'vALvE AND BRAKE SYSTEM Jan'. 21, 1964 Filed Nov. 29, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIGJ l Paff 4. am .f7 575/5 ,sn/WHL Jall- 21, 1964 R. l.. GOLD ETAL 3,118,706

RETARDER VALVE AND BRAKE SYSTEM Filed Nov. 29, 1960 2 sheets-sheet 2 f2 INVENTORS g77? kwa/s.

ited States Patent O 3,llSf/'ll6 RETARDER VALVE AND BRAKE SYSTEM Robert L. Gold, Pin-e Lawn, and Steve Schnell, St. Louis, do., assignors to Wagner 'Electric Corporation, St. Louis, Me., a eoruoration or' Delaware Filed Nov. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 72,4%@ ll Claims. (Cl. 363-6) This invention relates generally to fluid pressure systems and more particularly to a brake system having both retarding and service brakes and control means therefor.

ln the past, brake systems for trucks and similar heavy dutv vehicles were provided with service brakes and retarding brakes, each of which were adapted to be energized in response to the actuation of separate control means therefor, such as application valves. The term service brakes refers to conventional brakes which are employed on a vehicle for inertia stopping applications, and the term retarding brakes refers to brakes which are employed on a vehicle for retarding or snubbing purposes such as to prevent the vehicle from exceeding a desired speed as on a downhill grade.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved brakd system including both service and retarding brakes and adapt-ed to be operated in response to a singular control or actuation device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel brake system in which the retarding brakes are electively energized prior to energization of the service "'es. Still another obj-ect of the present invention is to provide a brake system having a retarder valve responsive to fluid pressure applied to the retarding brakes above a predetermined amount to meter pressure iluid to the service brakes.

Briey, the present invention is embodied in a iluid pressure system having i'lrst and second frictional devices, and control means for operating one ot said rictional devices in response to predetermined uid pressure conditions therein. The invention more specicaliy is embodied in a retarder valve responsive to uid pressures in vehicle retarding brakes for establishing communication to vehicle service brakes when the applied iiuid pressure exceeds a predetermined value. The invention turther consists in the parts and in the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specication and in which like numerals refer to like parts wherever they occur:

FlG. l is a diagrammatic view of a uid pressure system embodying the teachings of the present invention,

FlG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a novel retarder valve in the system, and

FlG. 3 is a graphic illustration of representative iluid pressures at the rictional devices of the system during actuation thereof.

Referring now to FIG. l of the drawings, the brake system 1l is provided with pressure generating means, such as a compressor 2, which is connected through a reservoir 3 by a conduit 4 to the inlet side of actuation means, such as an application valve 5. The outlet side or the application valve S is connected with the actuating port of a friction device or retarding brake mechanism 6 by a conduit 7, and a branch conduit S connects the outlet of the application valve with a two-way hand valve 9. ln the retarding position, the two-way hand valve 9 normally provides communication between the branch conduit S and a conduit lil connected with the actuation or control port 47 of a control or retarder valve il. Another conduit 12 is connected between the conduit 4 to the reservoir 3 and the inlet port 34 of the retarder valve l1, and the Outlet port 35 of the retarder valve is connected by a conduit i3 to one of the inlets of a two-way check valve iid- A conduit l5 has one end connected with the outlet of the two-way check valve ld while the other end thereof branches to connect with slave cylinder means, such as power cylinders le, operatively connected with slack adjusting means 17 of separate friction devices or services brake assemblies (not shown). The other inlet ot the two-way. check valve la is connected by a conduit l to the two-way hand valve 9 is normally vented to atmosphere when the two-way hard valve in the retarding position as shown.

The retar g brake mechanism 6 is preferably a huid cooled disc brake having an internal chamber (not shown) through which cooling fluid is circulated by pumping means 19 from a heat exchanger t9.

Referring now to FlG. 2, the retarder valve il comprises an upper housing 2i? rigidly secured to an intermediate housing 2l by studs 2?. or the like, and a iirst resilient member or diaphragm 23 having a predetermined pressure responsive area A1 is positioned between the housings Ztl and 2l forming an actuation or control chamber B within the upper housing Ztl. The intermediate housing includes upper and lower portions Z4 and 25 between which is sealably secured a second resilient member or diaphragm 26 having a predetermined eli'ective or pressure responsive surface area A2 smaller than the area A1 of the diaphragm 23. A lower housing 27 is rigidly secured to the lower portion Z5 of the intermediate housing 2l by the studs 22 with a suitable seal or gasket 2S therebetween. An intermediate chamber C between the diaphragms 23 and Ze is vented to atmosphere and a reaction chamber D is formed in the lower housing 27 by the diaphragm 26.

T he lower housing 27 is provided with a bore 2@ coaxially aligned with a counterbore 3@ and with the diaphragm chamber D, an annular valve seat 3l being formed on the shoulder between the bore 29' and counter bore Sil. The counterbore Sil is intersected by a crosspassage 32 one end of which is closed by a plug 33 and the other end being connected with the inlet port 3d to which the conduit r2 from the reservoir 3 is connected. The outlet port 35 intersects the bore -29 and is connected by the conduit 13 to the service brake assemblies through the check valve ld. A valve guide member 36 is threadedly received in the lower end of the counterbore Sti and has a bore 3'7 in which an inlet control valve 38 is slidably positioned. The inlet valve 32 carries a seal 39 and is normally biased into scalable engagement with the cooperating valve seat 3l by a spring 4t) or negligible force. rlhe valve 213 is provided with an axial passage 4l forming an exhaust passage normal-ly in communication with the bore 29 and outlet port 34.

A valve stem 42 is slidably received in the bore 29 and is provided with a metering passage 43 or like clearance to connect the chamber D with the bore whereby the chamber D is normally exhausted to atmosphere through passage dl. The lower end of the stem is normally spaced from the inlet valve 33 and has an annular seat 44 adapted `for lost motion sealing engagement with the inlet valve about the exhaust passage 4l. The midportion of the valve stem 42 is threaded and has pairs of plate members l5 and 45 secured thereto between which the diaphragms 23 and 26, respectively, are mounted.

The upper housing 29' is provided with the actuating port 47 to which the conduit l@ is connected. A preloaded or pre-compressed spring assembly 43 is provided with a spring 43a compressed between an abutment member 49 secured to the rupper housing and an upper abutment member Sil. The upper abutment member Sil is provided with an integral sleeve which extends through the lower abutment member 49, and a retaining nut 5%, threadetdy received on the lower end of the sleeve, i normally biased into abutment with the lower abutment member d by the compressive force or" the spring ga. The stem 42 extends through the sleeve 56a and threadedly receives an adjusting nut 51 on the upper end thereof, the adiusting nut being normally positioned in abutment with the upper abutment member Si) by the weight of the stem l2 and parts associated therewith. Accordingly, the pre-compressed spring assembly d?) does not normally exert a torce on the stem d2, and the threaded engagement between the stem and the adjusting nut 5l serves as an adjustment means for adjusting the distance of travel between the lower end of the stem and the valve seal 39.

in pressure systems for heavy duty vehicles, such as highway trucks, the principal problem in the past has been heat which results in brake fading due to hard or sustained braking applications as when such heavy equipment operates at high speeds or on relatively long downhill grades. Where it is desired to prevent run away or hold a desired speed of the vehicle, even light brake actuation producing retarding or drag conditions has resulted in a high degree of heat and in abrasion and wear of friction materials as in incident `of such heat. lt has been discovered that such heat can be dissipated by utilizing iluid cooled disc brakes or the like on predetermined axles of the vehicle as the retarding brake devices 6. However, for normal inertia stops, emergency inertia stops and snubbing in traic, the usual service brake mem- *ers actuated by power cylinders i6 `are provided and the retarding brakes 6 are also operable with the service brakes according to the present invention.

Under normal operating conditions of the system 1 and control valve ll (with the valve being connected as shown in FlG. l), an operator applied force to the application valve S meters pressure fluid 'from the reservoir 3 through the conduit 7 to establish a tluid pressure to energize the retarding brakes 6. The pressure fluid also flows through the branch conduit S, valve 9, conduit l@ and actuation port 47 of the control valve il into the chamber l in the -upper housing Ztl to establish a iluid pressure P1) equal to that applied in the retarding brakes '6. The pressure P1 acts `on-the eflective area A1 of the diaphragm 23 to create an input or downward force in opposition to the pre-compressed spring torce (F) of the spring assembly lf the downward force exerted on the stem 42 by' pressure P1 acting on the area A1 is tless than the compressive force F of the spring assembly d8, movementY of the valve stem 42 is prevented and the inlet control valve 38 remains seated to prevent actuation of the service brakes.

When the fluid pressure P1 acting on the diaphragm area A1 is increased to provide a downward force to overcome the force F of the spring assembly 4S, the stem 42 is moved downwardly into engagement with the inlet valve seal 39 to initially close the exhaust passage 38, and further downward movement of said stem unseats the inlet valve 3S `allowing pressure iluid ilow directly from the reservoir E through conduits 4 and l2, inlet port 34 Yand around the valve 38m the valve chamber formed bythe counterbore 3@ and bore 29 to the conduits i3 and l5 into the power cylinders lo to actuate the slack adjusting mechanisms 17 which energize the service brakes (not shown). Pressure fluid alsoilows in the bore 29 through the passage 43 to establish the fluid pressure (P2) in the chamber D which acts on the effective area A2 of the diaphragm 25 to create the reaction or upward force additive to the spring force F in opposition to the input force PlAl. Since the ellective area A1 of the diaphragm 23 is greater than the varea A2 of the diaphragm 25, a greater fluid pressure P2 is established on the smaller effective area of the diaphragm 26 to provide a reaction Vforce which, when added to the compressive force of the spring 48, lis. equal to the input force. As a result, the

iluid pressure P2 developed in the chamber D and in the service brakes increases in a ratio to the fluid pressure P1 in the chamber B and retarding brakes 6, that is proportional with the ratio of the areas A1 to A2. ln other words, the value of P2, during a braking application of intensity effecting the actuation of the retarding valve ll, may be determined by the formula:

However, it is apparent that when the spring Vforce F has been overcome by the input force, an increase in luid pressure P1, in the chamber B must be balanced by a greater value of fluid pressure P2 so that fluid pressure to the service brakes increases at a greater rate than iluid pressure metered to the retarding `brakes whereby the service brakes fassume the greater braking load for more intense brake applications. i

Referring now to Fll'. 3 wherein a representative brake application is shown graphically, it will be noted that liuid pressures in both the retarding and service brakes increase linearly with increases in the pressure iluid metered through the application valve 5. rEhe retarding brake 6 is actuated directly from the application valve S and is operable by itself up to approximately 2'() psi. to establish drag conditions for retarding the vehicle. A further increase in pressure tluid metered to *he retarding brakes 6 and actuation chamber B of the control valve il meters pressure iiuid to the service brake line The range of braking pressures tor producing inertia stops and snubbing may be approximately between 2G psi. and 60 p.s.i., and emergency inertia stops may be produced by pressures from 6G psi. to l0() p.s.i. lt will be noted that each service brake assumes a greater braking load than cach retarding brake beginning when the fluid pressure is about 50 p.s.i.

When the reaction force P2A2 in the chamber D of the control valve 1l plus the compressive force of the spring assembly d8 becomes equal to the input force PlAl, the diaphragm 23 and 26 move the stern 42 to a lapped or poised position with the inlet valve 38, and the inlet valveV is also moved into a lapped or poised position with the seat 3i. ln this position, pressure fluid communication is interrupted between the inlet and outlet ports 34 and 35 and between the outlet port 35 and exhaust passage 4l. it a greater braking effort is desired, the applied force on the application valve 5 is increased which eitects an increase tl e fluid pressure P1 delivered to the retarding valve lll and retarding brake 6, and said retarding valve is again actuated to increase the duid pressure P2 delivered to energize the service brakes, as previously described. 'When the applied torce is removed from the application valve 5, the pressure luid is exhausted from the retarding brake 6 and upper housing 2li of the retarder valve il through the application valve 5, and the compressive force of the spring assembly d and the reaction force move the diaphragme Z3 and 26 and stem d2 to inoperative position which allows the inlet valve 3% to engage its seat 3l and ouen the exhaust passage #il to exhaust the pressure iluid from the power cylinders i6 and release the service brakes.

rthe two-way hand valve 9 may be manually rotated 90 to connect the conduits S and l and also establish communication between the conduit lil and the exhaust port of the valve Accordingly, under such conditions it is apparent that both the retarding and service brakes are simultaneously energized in Vresponse to actuation of the application valve 5, and that the upper housing 253 or" the retarder valve il is vented to atmosphere.

lt is now apparent that a novel duid pressure system has been provided in which the application of some friction devices may be retarded relative to the application of other friction devices and in which the control means is responsive to actuation pressures or" the latter friction devices. it is also apparent that the ratio of the pressure responsive areas A1 and A2 of control means 11 or the like may be varied to provide different fluid pressure curves for the retarding and service brakes.

The invention includes all changes and modifications of the foregoing disclosure which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the invention is to be limited only by the claims which follow.

What we claim is:

1. A fluid pressure system comprising a pressure fluid reservoir, fluid cooled retarding brake means and service brake means, an application valve having an inlet connected to said reservoir and an outlet connected to said retarding brake means, a control valve having an inlet connected to said reservoir in by-pass relation with said application valve and an outlet connected to said service brake means, said control valve including a valve member normally preventing communication between said inlet and outlet thereof, and actuation means having a lostmotion connection with said valve member and adapted to move it to meter pressure fluid from said reservoir to said service brake means, said actuation means including pressure responsive means including first and second surface areas in a predetermined proportion, said first surface area being in communication with said outlet of said application valve and subjected to pressure fluid metered to said retarding brake means, said second surface area being in communication with said control valve outlet and subjected to fluid pressures imposed on said service brake means, and a compression spring of pre-selected force acting on said actuation means in opposition to valve member movement thereof.

2. A fluid pressure sys-tem comprising a fluid pressure reservoir, retarding and service brake devices, first and second normally closed valve means connected to said reservoir Iand to said retarding and service brake devices, respectively, said first valve means being selectively operable to meter luid pressure from said reservoir to energize said retarding brake device, said second valve means being responsive to the metered fluid pressure of said first valve means .to apply fluid pressure from said reservoir to energize said service brake device, and means for preventing actuation of said second valve means when the metered fluid pressure of said first valve means is less than ia predetermined amount, said means being yieldable to permit actuation of said second valve means when the metered fluid pressure exceeds the predetermined amount.

3. A fluid pressure system comprising a source of fluid pressure, liquid cooled retarding brake and service brake devices, first valve means for selectively metering fluid pressure from said source to energize said retarding brake device, second valve means connected to said source and to said service brake device and normally closing fluid pressure communication between said source and said service brake device, control means for said second valve meme, said control means being movable in response to the metered fluid pressure of said first valve means to energize said retarding brake device to move said second valve mems and open iluid pressure communication between said source 'and sai-d service brake dev-ice, and resilient means having a substantially constant force to prevent ymovement of said control means until the metered fluid pressure of said first valve means attains a predetermined magnitude to ap-preciably retard the energization of said service brake device relative to energization of aid retarding brake device, said resilient means having a variable force greater than said constant force to oppose movement of said control means when the fluid pressure of said first valve means is greater than the predetermined magnitude.

4. A fluid pressure system comprising a reservoir7 fluid cooled retarding brakes, service brakes, an application valve having a reservoir port connected with said reservoir and a serv-ice port connected with said retarding brakes, a -retarding valve having la control port connected with the service port of said yapplica-tion valve, 'an inlet port connected with said reservoir and an outlet port connected with said service brakes, said application valve being operable to deliver ilu-id pressure from said reservoir to energize said retarding brakes and from said reservoir to the control port of said retarding valve, valve means in said retarding valve normally interrupting fluid pressure communication between the inlet and outlet ports thereof, valve actuating means in said retarding valve responsive to the fluid pressure at said control port above a predetermined appreciable amount to move said valve means and open communication between said inlet and outlet ports 'and apply fluid pressure from said reservoir to energize said service brakes, and other means for preventing movement of said valve actuating 'means response to fluid pressure at said control port below the predetermined appreciable amount.

5. A fluid pressure brake system comprising a reservoir, application means having lan inlet connected to said reservoir, flu-id cooled brake means connected to the outlet of said :application means for retarding braking purposes, service brake means for inertia stopping braking purposes, control means including an inlet connected to said reservoir and 'an outlet connected to said service brake means, and means in sm'd control means normally preventing pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet of said control means and responsive to fluid pressure from said application means above a predetermined amount for metering pressure fluid to said service brake means.

6. ln a fluid pressure system including fluid cooled retarder brakes adapted to be actuated in direct response to pressure fluid metered thereto from ya pressure fluid source, the combination of service brakes and Ia control device having an inlet connected to said source and an outlet connected to said service brakes, said control device being subjected to the pressure fluid metered to said fluid cooled retarder brakes and being responsive only above a predetermined appreciable fluid pressure yactu-ating said fluid cooled retarder brakes for developing an inertia stopping lluid pressure in said service brakes in a predetermined proportion relative to the fluid pressure in said fluid cooled retarder brakes.

7. ln `a fluid pressure system including a retarding brake device adapted to be 'actuated in direct response to pressure fluid metered thereto from a pressure fluid source, the combination of a service brake device and control means for metering pressure fluid Ito said service brake device from said p-nessure fluid source, said control means comprising an inlet connected to said pressure fluid source, an outlet connected to said service brake device, a spring biased valve member normally preventing communication between said inlet and outlet, valve actuating means, .and pre-compressed spring means operatively conriected with said valve actuating means, said valve actuating eans being movable against said precompressed spring means in response to a re-tarding brake device actuating fluid pressure above a predete-nmined appreciable amount for opening said valve member to meter pressure fluid from said source to .actuate said service brake device subsequent to the actuation of said retarding brake devicei 8. A fluid pressure system comprising a pressure fluid reservoir, retarding and service friction devices, an application valve for selectively energizing said retarding friction device with pressure fluid from said reservoir, a retarding valve having an inlet connected to said reservoir and an outlet connected to said service friction device and being responsive to said application valve for energizing said service friction device with pressure fluid from said reservoir only when said retarding friction device is energized by ya fluid pressure above a predetermined amount, and control means for selectively preventing energizati-on of said service friction device by said retarding valve and effecting substantially concert energization or" said retarding and service friction devices by said application valve.

9. A uid pressure system comprising a source of ressure iiuid, retanding ybrake means and service brake means, .application means for metering pressure iluid from said source to said retarding brake means, and control means for metering pressure uid from said source to said ser-,vice brake means, said control means including valve means normally clos'mg pressure uid communicaytion between said source and said service Ibrake means, and valve actu-'ation means in yopen communication with tbe pressure liuid metered by said application means to energize said retarding brake means, said valve Iactuation means being movable in response to metered iluid pressure above a predetermined magnitude for actuating said valve means to provide uid pressure communication between said source and said service brake means, and means for applying a constant force on said actuation means :to prevent movement thereof in response to metered Fluid pressure below the predetermined magnitude.

l0. A fluid pnessure system comprising a pressure fluid reservoir, retarding Ibrake and service brake devices, application means having an inlet connected to said reservoir 4andan outlet `connected to said retarding brake device, a control valve hav-ing an outlet connected to said service brake device and an inlet connected to smd reservoir, Vsaid control device including Ia spring-loaded valve member normally preventing communication between said inlet and outlet thereof, and actuation means adapted to move said valve member to meter pressure uid from said reservoir to said service brake device, said actuation means including pressure responsive means including a rst surface area in communication with said outlet of said application means and subjected to the fluid pressures of said retarding brake device, a second surface area -in communication with said control valve outlet and subjected to fluid pressures imposed on said service brake device, and spring means of precompressed force operatively connected with said actuation means to prevent movement thereof when the uid pressure acting on the "rst area of said actuation means is less than a predetermined amount and to oppose Valve member movement of said lactuation means when the iiuid pressure Iacting on Ythe irst area of said actuation means is greater than the predetermined amount,

ll. A lluld pressure system comprising a pressure flu-id reservoir, retarding brake means and service brake means, application means having `an inlet connected to said reservoir and an outlet connected to said retarding brake means, a control valve having a housing with a bore and counterbore, an inlet connecting said counterbore with said pressure iluid reservoir, an outlet connecting said bore with said second friction means, a valve seat between said bore and counterbore, a valve member movable in said counterbore, spring means normally biasing said valve member into engagement witlr said valve seat to interrupt communication between said inlet 'and outlet, passage means in said valve member lnormally venting said b r to atmosphere, valve actuation means including a first pressure responsive :area in communication with tite outlet `oi" said application means and a second pressure responsive area in communication with said bore, said valve actuation means being adapted to unseat said vaive member from said valve seat establishing communication between said inlet and outlet and interrupting communication between said bore and passage means, and a preloaded spring cage assembly .in abutment with said valve actuation means to prevent movement of said Valve actuation means in response to an actuating pressure on the first pressure responsive `area less than an appreciable predetermined magnitude vvhereby said retarding brake means is energized independently of said service Ibrake means, said Valve actuation means being movable to overcome the predoaded force of said assembly to close said passage means and unseat said valve member when the actuating pressure on the first pressure responsive area is greater than the predetermined magnitude whereby tire energization of said service brake means is appreciably delayed relative to the energize-.tion of said retarding brake leans.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

6. IN A FLUID PRESSURE SYSTEM INCLUDING FLUID COOLED RETARDER BRAKES ADAPTED TO BE ACTUATED IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO PRESSURE FLUID METERED THERETO FROM A PRESSURE FLUID SOURCE, THE COMBINATION OF SERVICE BRAKES AND A CONTROL DEVICE HAVING AN INLET CONNECTED TO SAID SOURCE AND AN OUTLET CONNECTED TO SAID SERVICE BRAKES, SAID CONTROL DEVICE BEING SUBJECTED TO THE PRESSURE FLUID METERED TO SAID FLUID COOLED RETARDER BRAKES AND BEING RESPONSIVE ONLY ABOVE A PREDETERMINED APPRECIABLE FLUID PRESSURE ACTUATING SAID FLUID COOLED RETARDER BRAKES FOR DEVELOPING AN INERTIA STOPPING FLUID PRESSURE IN SAID SERVICE BRAKES IN A PREDETERMINED PROPORTION RELATIVE TO THE FLUID PRESSURE IN SAID FLUID COOLED RETARDER BRAKES. 